Doubt
by QuestN
Summary: Once again on opposite sides of galactic conflict, Kylo Ren and Rey struggle to find a balance between their roles on opposing sides of the war, and their lingering feelings for each other. As their bond grows stronger, they begin to question their loyalties. How long will they be able to hide their doubts from those around them?
1. Chapter 1

**Kylo**

He marches through the once again abandoned military outpost, a legion of stormtroopers following in his wake. His fading rage pushing him forward towards the command center, He enters, and notices something on the floor, a shimmer of metal catching his eye. Kneeling down to pick it up, a wave of recognition hits him. Is that?

 _Rey._

He senses her before he can see her, the familiar warm presense of her conscious sinking into his with little warning. Even before he looks he knows what he'll see. It's as if she's standing mere feet from him, her image clear as day. Their eyes meet, and he begs for the rage to return, but all he finds is regret. It slices through him like ice, but he doesn't dare look away. Her eyes bare into him and he expects to see hate, but instead it's worse, and he begins to feel the full weight of his failure.

 _Fear._

 _Disappointment._

 _Sorrow._

And for the briefest moment he sees something else cross her face, a fleeting moment that's gone as soon as it began before her face hardens into steel resolve and then she's gone. And nothing but regret remains.

 _And he's alone._

He returns his attention to his discovery, the golden dice that his fath-

That _Han Solo_ kept as a lucky charm. He feels a brief moment of sadness, of _weakness_ , before they disappear from his grasp like ash in the wind.

 _He's alone._

 _And he has nothing._

He clenches his fists and basks in it, in his pain, but this time it gives him no reprieve. He gave her a choice and she chose _them._ The weak and dying that she calls friends. She could be so much more.

 _With Him._

Surely she must have sensed it? The sheer power that flowed through their bond when they fought the praetorian guard. It was unlike anything he had ever felt before, like they could do anything. Like they were unstoppable. She must have. And yet, she threw it away.

 _No._

He had been a fool. Finally someone understood him, understood what it felt like to have everyone you've ever cared about leave you behind, abandon you because you weren't what they wanted. It gave him something he hadn't had in a long time.

 _Hope._

Hope for a future where he wasn't alone, one he didn't deserve. He shouldn't have been surprised when she _left_ him, she wasn't the first to do so.

 _It didn't stop the pain from cutting to the bone._

His hope left him vulnerable, left him _weak_. It was a mistake he wouldn't make twice. She had chosen to stand in his way rather than by his side, and he had no intentions of letting _hope_ stand in the way of his destiny.

He stood, his sense of purpose renewed. He knew what he had to do, his resolve replenished. But there was something else, hidden deep in his thoughts, pushed away by his own denial.

 _ **Doubt.**_

 **Rey**

She quickens her pace, helping everyone she can onto the _Falcon_ , desperate to leave before the First Order catches up. Before _He_ catches up. Everyone now aboard, she turns to close the ramp when she feels the cold ache of Kylo Ren's mind meld with her's once again. She glances down the ramp, and for the briefest of moments she's afraid.

It's as if he's knelt right in front of her, his form as solid as the rest of her surroundings. Their eyes meet and she expects rage, but his eyes are filled with anguish. Her fear melts away, replaced by deep sorrow.

 _She failed._

She thought she understood him. A man crushed under the weight of his own destiny, struggling to find his place within the shadow of his families' history. And when his inner conflict came bubbling to the surface, those he trusted the most abandoned him. They gave up on him.

 _And it tore him apart._

He was a tortured soul seeking belonging. And so was _she._ When they... _connected_ on Ahch-to, she saw herself in him, carrying scars not unlike her own. It helped her begin to understand what it meant to _be_ Kylo Ren, to be so haunted by the past that the only way out in sight was to destroy it completely.

 _Let the past die._

It gave her hope. Hope that she could show him he wasn't alone, that someone understood him, that she could show him a way out. She could _save him._ They could save each other.

 _She thought she understood him._

He was too far gone. What she thought she saw was already long dead and buried, discarded to the back of his mind to be forgotten forever. He'd killed Snoke, breaking the shackles that had bound him for so long, only to replace them with a set of his own creation.

 _Ben Solo is dead._

She almost believed it. When he _killed_ Snoke it wasn't to save her, but to fully embrace the darkness. She was merely an opportunity for him to act upon, a tool to exploit.

 _She almost believed it._

 _But the look on his face told a different story._

Looking at him, she sees no anger or malice, not a hint of either. All she sees is a man utterly defeated, drowning in regret. Her hand wavers over the switch to the ramp, hesitating for a moment before she presses down with conviction.

 _His regret was muted by the volume of his actions._

She offered him a second chance but he pushed it away, choosing to fall further than he ever had before. She thought she only needed to give him a choice to bring him back to the light, that his conflict would ultimately save him. Instead, it turned his heart another shade darker.

 _He'll come for me._

 _Now that we're enemies again._

It surprised her, how much the realisation hurt. When she'd left him, he followed her to crait with every intention to wipe the resistance out, and by extension her.

 _And he'd come for them again._

He had no intention of letting the resistance get in the way of his rule, of that she was certain. And when that time came, she would do what she had to to protect her family.

 _Even if that meant destroying him._

She felt the truth in her words, but also something else, the reason she hesitated.

 _ **Doubt.**_


	2. Chapter 2

**Kylo**

Kylo Ren stands on the bridge of the _Supremacy,_ staring out at the vast shipyards that orbit the planet Fondor through the massive viewport. Under most circumstances using an orbital shipyard wouldn't be necessary; construction and repair of _Resurgent_ -Class Destroyers was ordinarily carried out by the Supremacy itself, but after the destruction of nearly a _dozen_ Star Destroyers and extensive damage to the Supremacy at the hands of a Mon Calamari _warship_ , the use of a shipyard seemed pertinent.

There was concern among the officers as to whether or not the _Supremacy_ would be able to make it to the core worlds in its deplorable state, but to the surprise of many (Kylo included), they limped their way to Fondor with nearly no issues; Despite the fact that a third of the Mega-Class Dreadnought was left to rot amidst the corpses of their decimated fleet.

Their fleet was already spread thin, attempting to seize control of the galaxy in the wake of the _Hosnian System's_ destruction, courtesy of _Starkiller Base._ At the height of the Empires' power, the loss of a dozen star destroyers would have hardly been noteworthy, merely a handful amidst a fleet of over 25 000.

Unfortunately, the First Order did not have the luxury of every major shipyard in the galaxy at their disposal. The rebuilding of their fleet had taken decades, and even now was barely 1000 strong.

He grimaces, lines of concern marking his forehead. The loss of 12 destroyers is not nearly enough to derail his plans. _But it is enough to worry him._ The use of a cruiser as a ballistic weapon having been proven _extremely_ effective, it was well within the realm of possibility for the Resistance to employ such tactics again, to _catastrophic_ effect.

After witnessing the destruction first hand, he wonders why his mother hadn't attempted such measures sooner. It was never in her nature to needlessly waste both ships and men, but surely she couldn't deny that it was far more efficient than traditional warfare—

 _She hadn't._

Dread coils in his gut as he remembers what he had done. Had he really forgotten so soon? Or had he hidden it away, too afraid to acknowledge his feelings?

 _No._

Her death was a strategic necessity, a crucial step towards the absolute destruction of the _pathetic_ Resistance. That being said, her death did raise some rather important questions. With Leia gone, it was a safe assumption that her replacement would be a protégé, someone who shared her ideals as a leader. A safe assumption, but the events immediately following her demise certainly brought that to question.

Perhaps he was wrong, and the Resistance had in fact replaced his mother with an extremist; someone who was ready and willing to resort to extreme measures in the name of victory. Maybe they had simply grown more desperate than ever before. He ponders the implications of this until the heavy footsteps of a particular red-haired general draw his attention.

" _Supreme Leader!_ "

Kylo eyes the general as he strides down the walkway, every step made with purpose. Hux had always been one to keep appearances, his uniform expertly pressed without a visible wrinkle; and his hair kept short and meticulously combed. It came from a lifetime of practiced perfection, and was a far cry from his own appearance, dark locks of hair strewn across his head at their own discretion. Kylo had always preferred the security a mask provided, which left physical appearance somewhat unnecessary. If Hux had any opinion on the matter his expression gave no indication, his trademark sneer betraying nothing.

" _Hux,"_ Kylo remarks, a drop of contempt in his tone. _"_ Are there any new leads on the Resistance?"

"Nothing to report yet, but we have eyes everywhere," he states proudly. "It won't be long before they show themselves again, and when they do you'll be the first to know."

"Good, and have the locals agreed to our terms?"

"To your exact specifications," he exclaims, practically gleaming. "A destroyer to replace each that was lost, as well as all required repairs made to the Supremacy before they begin full-scale production. Which brings us to our next point. There are... matters we need to discuss."

"I'm listening."

"Well," he begins, a tinge of hesitation in his tone. "If we are to begin the mass expansion of our fleet we will need officers to operate the ships as they are completed. Now that we have control of the core worlds we can begin recruiting en masse, but it will take time to train them," he continues. "We will have to hold off on expanding our area of control. Another option is running the new Destroyers on skeleton crews, but that could pose problems of its own."

"What if we began promoting stormtroopers to officers?" Kylo suggests, noting the look of disgust Hux tries and fails to hide with amusement.

"Sir, I'm not sure that's a wise course of action," Hux warns, exasperated.

"Your lack of faith in the army _you_ helped create is very telling," Kylo responds, growing annoyed. "If they can't be trusted as officers, then i'm forced to question their loyalty to the First Order."

"Their loyalty was not my concern," he begins but whatever else he had to say dies in his throat as Kylo gives him a look that can only be described as a warning.

"Very well sir, I'll begin the vetting process immediately," the general states with resignation before retreating from the bridge.

— — —

Kylo is meditating in his quarters when he is once again an unwilling participant in the deafening silence that occurs when his mind is bridged with Rey's. His head snaps forward, eyes fixated on her form.

She's sitting with her back to him, and appears to be piloting a ship.

 _The Falcon?_

His eyes linger for several seconds, before he speaks.

"Rey?" He asks tentatively, his heart sinking when she tenses up at the sound of his voice.

"I've got nothing to say to you," she spits vehemently.

He scoffs, "I can't say i'm surprised, first you abandon me and now you refuse to speak to me entirely," he states, shaking his head.

"Abandoned you? You're lucky I didn't kill you," she bursts out, nearly leaping from her seat.

"Why didn't you?"

"Why didn't I what?" She inquires, and he's not sure if she misheard the question or is simply avoiding it.

"Why didn't you kill me?"

"I..." she pauses, searching for an answer."I'm a Jedi. I don't kill unconscious people who can't defend themselves. Unlike _you,_ " she spits.

"You have no idea what I'm like," he seethes, anger bubbling to the surface. "And you? You're not a Jedi. I've met Jedi, and you are _nothing_ like them. They were weak, so I killed them all. Well, the ones that didn't join me," he says, taunting.

"I don't know why I didn't kill you," she admits. "but i'm beginning to wish I had."

They stare at each other in angry silence for several moments until the connection fades and he's alone again.


	3. Chapter 3

**Rey**

Rey sits in the packed cargo hold of the Millennium Falcon, her legs gathered to her chest; listening to the even breathing of those sleeping around her, and the comforting hum of the hyperdrive. After her tense conversation with Kylo Ren, sleep evaded her. _Another thing he's taken from me,_ she thinks bitterly. Accepting she would receive no rest that night, she pushes the events of their conversation to the back of her mind, and scans her surroundings.

The Falcons' cargo hold was repurposed almost immediately to a makeshift sleeping quarters for the remaining members of the resistance, all of whom were likely exhausted from their previous encounter with the First Order. She had volunteered her bunk without hesitation to any wounded who made it on board; A decision she knows was right, but one she regrets nonetheless. Those not wounded slept around her in a heap of limbs and bodies, too tired to care who it was they lay with. Poe was propped against a wall, feet and arms crossed, and somehow managed to retain his usual swagger while he slept. That was until she saw BB-8 nestled under the crook of his arm, powered down save for the occasional beep. She smiled at the absurdity of the sight, and turned her attention towards Finn.

He slept at the foot of a bunk containing a badly wounded girl, whose name Rey had recently learned to be Rose. Her hand was held tightly in his, and his face was taut with worry. He hadn't left her side since she was brought on board, and even refused to eat or drink until Poe had practically shoved it down his throat. When Rey had inquired about her, Finn had simply said "She saved me. This is my fault." Any reassurances she tried to give he brushed off, unwilling to let blame fall anywhere else. She was forced to watch his resolve get tested with every passing hour, his hope dying bit by bit. Whenever a medic checked on her, they would simply shake their heads in resignation, causing his shoulders to slump ever further.

After three days aboard the Falcon with no signs of improvement, the doctors had given up hope of her ever waking up. But Finn had still refused to leave her side. "She deserves to have someone at her side if she wakes up. And if she doesn't, I owe it to her to be here until the end," he had stated, tears forming at the corners of his eyes. Two days having passed since, Rose had only gotten worse.

She gazed sadly at the two of them, before the makings of an idea began to form in her head. Standing abruptly, she makes her way across the room, carefully avoiding any errant limbs blocking her path. Mindful of her sleeping friend, she eyes the wounded mechanic. She was worryingly pale, her face locked in a stern expression, gaunt from days of malnourishment. If not for the strained breathing, Rey would have assumed her to be dead already. Wincing at the grim reality of Rose's condition, she hesitantly raises her hands over the girls body.

Reaching out, she feels along the tendrils of the force that course through the Falcon, and finds her way to the dimming light residing within Rose. No idea on how to proceed, Rey begins to experiment, manipulating the force brazenly in an attempt to heal Rose. After several minutes of trying with no discernible progress, her forehead is slick with sweat, and she is forced to stop at the behest of her shaking body, lest she collapse on top of the girl and worsen her condition further.

Sullen due to her failure, she retraces her steps through the cargo hold, heading for the _Falcons'_ cockpit. As she approaches, the sound of quiet conversation wafts into the hallway. Curious, she peaks her head into the cockpit, becoming witness to Chewbacca and Leia in sombre conversation. Sombre, and _private_ conversation. Embarrassed at her apparent lack of social awareness, she turns to leave but fails to go unnoticed.

"Rey?" Leia calls out, her tone kind, rather than accusatory as Rey had expected.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have intruded—"

"Nonsense, come sit," the princess replies, gesturing to one of the empty seats. "We were just... reminiscing," she says, her expression locked in it's usual stoicism, yet unable to hide the mournful look in her eyes.

"Thank you," Rey responds, sitting slowly.

"Can't sleep?" Leia questions.

"It's just been... a lot to take in," Rey states, unsatisfied with her choice of words.

"Me too," she replies, offering an understanding smile. "I guess we had the same idea," she adds, gesturing towards the wookie, who had remained silent until then. "He's a good listener."

Chewbacca replies with a coo of contentment, a touch of boastfulness mixed in.

Rey grins at the retort, before changing the topic of conversation. "Where are we headed?"

"Ryndellia. I've sent a signal on all of our channels to regroup there."

"Regroup? You mean there are others?" Rey asks, excited.

"Of course," the general replies. "We had a few dozen operatives along the outer rim during the evacuation. Sadly, I have no way of knowing how many will return. They've been on their own for a while," she says regretfully.

"Why Ryndellia? Is there a Resitance base there?"

"No, I wish. Those are in short supply these days," the general states remorsefully. "It's a neutral planet with a small population; it should be safe enough for us to wait until the rest of the Resistance can arrive."

"How long will that be?" Rey questions, uneasy at the thought of staying still for too long.

"A week. We discussed staying longer, but decided against it. We can't risk being discovered again."

"And while we wait? Unless there's a pantry I'm not aware of, we don't have enough food to last another two days, nevermind a week!"

"Leave that to me," Leia replies with a sly smile. "As desperate as things might seem, I still have some friends."

Leia attempts to ask Rey questions of her own, but they fall on deaf ears as Kylo Ren stands before her once more.

" _Who are you talking to?"_ he inquires, voice dripping with accusation.

She fires a sideways glance his direction before excusing herself, citing an imaginary problem with the Falcons' cooling system as she left in a hurry.

" _Who were you talking to?"_ he asks again, more demanding.

" _Why do you care?"_ she hisses. _"_ _If I tell you are you going to try to murder them? You have gotten in the habit of trying to kill my friends lately, Kylo Ren,"_ she adds, spitting his name with cruel intent; and nearly drops her hateful visage when she sees how well it works.

He physically recoils at the sound of his chosen name, his expression a mixture of horror and anger, before reeling his emotions back in. _"_ _This is clearly going nowhere, goodbye Rey,"_ he replies, agitated.

" _Goodbye? Where could you possibly go?"_ She asks, incredulous.

" _I'll figure something out,"_ he replies dismissively, investigating his unseen surroundings as if they hold the answer he seeks.

She rolls her eyes at his feigned interest in the walls. _"Ben, wait."_

" _I'm listening."_

She sighs, a knot tightening at the bottom of her throat. _"I need your help."_

He scoffs at the request as he turns to face her. _"What makes you think i'd help you?"_ He questions.

" _Please, it's someone important to me. She's hurt and... I don't know how to help,"_ she pleads.

" _You want me to teach you how to heal with the force?"_ He asks, a faint smile forming on his face. _"Interesting."_ He stares silently for a few seconds, meeting her desperate gaze with narrowed eyes. _"I'll teach you. But I want something in return."_

" _What?"_

" _If i'm going to teach you, I don't intend to stop after one lesson,"_ he states, letting the implication fill in the blanks.

" _I have no intention of turning to the dark side,"_ Rey warns. _"I won't become like you."_

" _The dark side isn't inherintly evil,"_ Kylo replies, brushing off the unintentional insult. _"Your intent when using it is what's important."_

She studies his face for a moment, struggling to decide. _"Fine. But you help me first. And if I don't like what you're trying to teach me, we stop."_

" _Fine."_

" _Good."_

" _Where's the girl?"_

" _Follow me."_ Rey turns on her heel towards the cargo hold, not bothering to see if he follows.

She enters, and the sleeping heap remains mostly unchanged, save for one alarming development.

 _Finn was no longer in the hold._

" _Uh oh."_

" _Something wrong?"_ Kylo questions.

" _Let's just hurry,"_ she whispers, awkwardly maneuvering to where Rose lay.

Kylo watches curiously as she weaves her way through the crowd, but makes no attempt to question it.

She stands in front of the girl once more, and looks at Kylo expectantly.

" _Are you ready?"_

She nods, nervously.

He pulls a hand from it's glove, and it extends it to Rey. _"Guide my hand, I can't see her."_

She meets his eyes briefly upon hearing his request, before following his instructions. Placing his hand on hers, she slowly brings them over Rose's heart.

" _Reach out, feel every living thing around you,"_ He starts, watching as she closes her eyes instinctively. " _Connect to it, and focus it on the girl,"_ He commands, his gaze remaining expressionless when her eyes snap open to look at him

" _Won't that hurt them?"_ she asks, gesturing to the entire room.

" _No. Unless you're alone, the combined living force of every one around you will be more than enough to heal the girl. They won't notice a thing."_

She exhales, closing her eyes once again. She reaches out, extending to the far edges of the Falcon. Content she's accounted for everyone, she focuses the energy into Rose, mending the girls' fading light. For a few moments nothing happens, and she fears she's failed again, when she notices the pallor of her face fade into deeper colour, and her superficial wounds begin to mend. Her breathing becomes even, and she starts to stir under their hands.

" _We did it!"_ she squeals with joy, a wide smile spread across her face as she locks eyes with Kylo. The corners of his mouth raise in a subtle smile, and his eyes contain something she's unfamiliar with.

 _Pride?_

"Who are you talking to?"

She snaps her head towards the voice, finding Finn staring.

"I was—" Her sentence is cut short as Finn rushes past her, embracing a now conscious Rose in a tight hug, threatening to render her comatose once again. Rey watches awkwardly as the two exchange rushed conversation.

"I'm so sorry!" Finn cries as he embraces the mechanic.

"For what?" She asks, a wide smile spread across her face.

"They said you weren't gonna wake up. This was my fault."

"No, Finn. It was my... choice," she says, finally noticing Rey standing in close proximity to them.

"Hello," she offers weakly, unsure of what to say.

Rose just stares awestruck, before Finn intervenes.

"Rose, this is Rey," Finn says, amused.

"Wow."

"Rey, did you do this?" Finn asks, eyes wide.

Rey nods, struggling to find words.

Finn stands, and entangles Rey in an equally constricting hug.

"Thank you."

Rey says nothing, reciprocating his embrace, until a small commotion pulls them apart.

Several people have awoken at Finn's excitement, and share it with him when they discover Rose awake. Soon they're all awake, and Rey is bombarded with questions along with Rose. She answers them as well as she can with a smile, sharing a glance with Finn or Rose every few moments.

 _She pretends not to feel the ache where Kylo's hand had been._


	4. Chapter 4

**Kylo**

He slices the training droid in half, turning to deflect another blow before the pieces hit the ground. The three remaining droids close in on him from all sides, brandishing electrostaffs. He spins wildly, waiting for the first to attack. A flash of electricity draws his attention to his right, a downward swing that he narrowly redirects into the exposed chest of the droid nearest him, frying it's internals. A strike to his lower back sends him stumbling forward, directly into the path of the other remaining droid. It wastes no time, bringing him to the ground with a vicious blow to the head.

Seeing stars, he screams in frustration. He was distracted, unbalanced by the girl _._ He had certainly never expected her to accept his offer, intending it as a backhanded insult. He tried to tell himself he would use it turn her, mold her into a weapon. But his feelings betrayed him. The elation he felt when she agreed to his offer, the nervous energy that passed between them when their hands touched. Her childlike excitement upon learning how to heal using the force, bleeding over to his own emotions. He had barely resisted the urge to place a stray lock of hair behind her ear. She was a sickness, infecting his every cell. He should destroy her, stop the infection before it consumed him completely. But he found the mere thought of hurting her sickening.

 _Was this his destiny? Condemned forever to this pain, tearing him apart from the inside?_

He plants his fist into the ground, pushing himself to his feet.

"Again!"

The remaining two droids whir to life, assuming offensive stances on opposing sides of him. He ignites his lightsaber with a flourish, advancing on his first target. The droid takes a feeble swing, locking blades with the darksider briefly, before being disarmed by the flick of Kylo's wrist. He wastes no time, cutting the droid into three pieces with two quick strikes, launching the pieces across the room in rage. The final droid took advantage of the distraction, closing the distance between them. He turns, taking the opportunity to strike first, a downward swing strong enough to knock it off balance, giving an opening for Kylo to hack it to pieces.

He turns to face the door as footsteps approach, deactivating his lightsaber. The bulkhead slides open, allowing Hux to enter. He crosses the room gingerly, examining the pieces of droid that littered the floor with contempt.

"Is this truly the most efficient use of your time, supreme leader? Surely there is something more productive that you could to be doing?"

"Interesting," Kylo replies, wiping sweat from his brow with the back of his hand. "I don't recall requesting your opinion on my daily activities, general. Did you come here to insult me or have you brought something worth my time?"

The general's eyes narrow slightly before the façade of obedience returns. "Apologies Supreme Leader, it's just that some... pressing issues have occurred in your absence. You haven't been on the bridge in over a day."

"Issues?"

"Protests have broken out on Fondor, sir," Hux states, eyeing his lightsaber nervously. "I sent a garrison to contain it, but it's grown violent."

"And? This is a common occurrence Hux, why did you feel the need to alert me of it?"

"The protesters have become organised. They've destroyed a supply depot that contained rare materials needed to construct our fleet. Without them, we will be set back weeks. They're threatening to do it again unless we pull out of the system completely."

"Round up as many of the protesters as you can," he orders, running a hand through his hair. "And prepare my shuttle."

— — —

He stands alone in his shuttle, gripping the bulkhead with an extended hand as it shakes violently, slicing through the atmosphere.

"Thirty seconds sir!" a garbled voice informs the room, and Kylo steels himself.

He clears his mind, and remembers the pain.

 _I am darkness._

 _And they will fear me._

The shuttle lands with a thud, and he approaches the ramp as it lowers. Attaining a mask of thinly veiled rage, he looks on stunned at a courtyard filled with thousands of people. Hiding his surprise, he exits the shuttle with purpose. Stormtroopers surround the crowd from all sides, and a dozen flank the ramp as he steps down to the raised platform at the head of the crowd, a wide staircase separating them. The noise they're generating is immense, and he knows that any attempts made to speak would be deafened it. Instead, he raises a hand, a wordless order for every trooper to train their weapons on the crowd. It works for the most part, the deafening cacophony reduces to stray shouting by those unaware of the new development. Kylo remedies this with a single spoken word, it's volume amplified through the force

"Silence."

He says it simply, with no intonation; yet the effect is immediate. Hushed silence fills the area, and a line of grim satisfaction forms across Kylo's face.

"It seems you haven't been informed on your current state of affairs," he begins, spitting out every word. "The First Order is not here to negotiate. We haven't come to broker a trade. You have something we need, and we intend to take it."

at this, commotion breaks out, and a voice rings out in the thick of it.

"Death to the First Order!"

Kylo steps forward, fuming. Something soars through the air from the crowd, landing near his feet. Glancing down at it, dread hits him like a freighter.

An activated thermal detonator.

 _Shit._

He flings it into the air with the force, diving away as he does so. He avoids the brunt of the blast, but isn't so lucky with the shrapnel. His left arm takes the worst of it, bloodied from shoulder to wrist. A stray shard glanced off his jaw, leaving a streak of blood across his lower chin. The stormtroopers assigned as his personal guard surround him awkwardly, unsure if they should aid him or not.

"Find them!" he roars as he struggles to his feet, sating their doubt.

Deathly silence has shrouded the area, save for the sound of stormtroopers pushing their way through the crowd, searching for the perpetrator. Kylo seethes, paying little mind to his arm beneath the now shredded arm wrap. A blaster shot rings out, crumpling the stormtrooper nearest him. He ignites his lightsaber without hesitation, defending against a cascade of plasma as more shots are fired from the crowd. After the first volley, he lowers his weapon, deactivating it. The aggressors take the bait, letting loose another round of plasma fire. None reach their intended target, as he stops them mid-air, before sending them back to their origin point. Half a dozen bodies collapse in the fray, and a man is dragged up the steps, kicking and screaming.

"He's the one that threw the detonator sir."

Kylo nods in reply, turning his attention to the man knelt before him.

"Who hired you?" Kylo asks softly, crouching to meet his gaze.

The man remains still, looking on defiantly at the Supreme Leader.

"Hmm. Worth a shot," he remarks, before invading his mind without restraint.

He screams out in agony as Kylo rips through his memories, looking for any relevant details, and retreats when he finds none. "You acted alone? Then who were the others?"

The man is unable to respond, barely clinging to consciousness.

He scoffs, before returning to his full height.

"Turn him around."

"Let this be a lesson," He bellows, pushing his lightsaber against the man's spine. "This is not a democracy. Protests will not be met with reformation, they will be met with punishment." He ignites the lightsaber, causing shocked gasps to erupt from the crowd, and behind him.

He whirls around, meeting Rey's gaze. All colour has drained from her face, and her cheeks are stained with tears. "Why?" she manages to choke out, vanishing before he can utter a word in reply. Visibly shaken, he turns to face the crowd once more.

"You have a choice to make. Join us, or die."

He turns to leave, speaking to a trooper as he does so. "Give them a day. If the protests continue, kill them."

Returning to his shuttle, a different figure greets him at the top of the ramp.

 _Skywalker._

He nearly brandishes his weapon again, before noticing the blue aura surrounding his uncle. "Finally got around to dying? It's a shame I couldn't do it myself," he says, smirking. The jedi doesn't speak, instead maintaining a stern expression, shaking his head in disappointment before he too fades away. His smile fades, and he enters the shuttle in angry silence.

"Return to the Supremacy immediately."

 _He waits for the shuttle door to seal before he starts screaming._


	5. Chapter 5

**Rey**

She stared idly at the controls in front of her, face stained with dried tears. The Falcon was nearly empty, most of the resistance having left for a nearby settlement to negotiate for food and supplies. The prospect of solitude was one that had excited her greatly, upon learning that most of the resistance would be leaving the ship, she nearly doubled their speed through force of will alone. Now that she had the ship to herself, she found little desire to do much of anything.

Her plan had been to study the Jedi texts, hopefully finding any usable information regarding the repair and construction of lightsabers. Unfortunately for her, the books were not written in galactic basic, or any other language she had ever seen. She had deigned to ask Ben about it when she saw him next, but those plans had been derailed when she witnessed him commit a particularly shocking act of brutality. _The force has a sick sense of humou_ _r_ _._

She had surprised herself by bursting into tears at the sight of it— it wasn't exactly surprising behavior from him, after all. In truth, she was almost mad at herself for not expecting it. Kylo Ren had always been an especially merciless enforcer, she just hadn't witnessed it first hand. Whenever their paths crossed in the past his inner conflict had been as obvious as the scar on his face. But when their eyes met this time, there was nothing but hate. _What if she was wrong about him? What if he was truly gone?_ The question gnawed at her like a festering wound, leaving her sobbing and shaking alone in her quarters for a long while.

She doesn't remember moving to the cockpit, but is grateful she did. The controls of a ship had always been a comforting presence for her, many nights on Jakku were spent lost in a flight simulator she had found, hiding away from the inhospitable weather. The Falcon had additional qualities that the simulator had never offered. For one, it was actually real— and it felt like home. The fallen AT-AT she had lived in for over a decade never gave such comforts— it was always simply a rest stop, a place to wait until her family returned. The home she spent so long fantasizing about bared little resemblance to the freighter, but imagining living anywhere else felt succinctly wrong.

Regardless of past fantasies, the warm familiarity of the Falcons' controls had brought a calm to her, washing away the anguish that had previously wracked her frame, leaving her feeling distinctly hollow. A measurable improvement, she supposed. Heavy footsteps echoed through the halls of the Falcon, returning her to reality. Hastily wiping tears from her face, she retreated from the controls, seeking out whomever had returned.

"Rey!" Finn shouts from the ramp. "Come on, we've got company!"

cursing, she snatches her blaster off of the seat next to her, running for the exit. "Is it the First Order?"

"First Order? What? No," Finn stammers, shaking his head apologetically. "They're resistance, Leia called them Inferno Squad. Must be special forces of some kind."

"Finn," she moans, holstering her blaster. "I thought we were in trouble."

"I'm sorry, I got excited," he replies, offering a slight smile. "Come on, they should be here soon."

Sharing his smile, she departs the Falcon behind him, stepping out onto the vast temperate plains where they had set up camp. Supplies were strewn everywhere, and several makeshift tents scattered the area, set up to escape the cramped living arrangements they had suffered through over the past week. A single sun hung low in the sky, casting large shadows over the area. The pair settled in one such shadow, taking shelter from the heat.

"Where are the others?" Rey inquires.

"They'll be here soon, Leia sent me back early to meet them."

A dull whine disturbs the quiet of the fields, growing into a scream as a lone tie fighter appears over the horizon. Alarmed, Rey takes a step forward.

"Relax, Leia said they would be in a TIE," Finn reassured.

They watch as the tie makes a rough landing in the tall grass, flattening a large swath.

"Alright," Finn says excitedly. "Time to meet Inferno... Squad." Finn's excitement dies in his throat as he watches a grizzled Duros man and a mousey girl who couldn't have been any older than Rey clamber out of the fighter.

"That's Inferno Squad?" He asks incredulously, his voice cracking. The two newcomers approach, smiling from ear to ear with excitement

The Duros is the first to speak, Shaking each of their hands as he does so. "Shriv, pleasure to meet you both."

"Finn."

"I'm Rey."

The girl steps forward, offering her hand as well. "I'm Zay, nice to meet you both."

"You too," Rey replies, returning their smiles.

"So you guys are Inferno Squad?" Finn questions.

"Well, the title is mostly a formality now," Shriv replies with a throaty chuckle. "There were a lot more of us around during the war against the Empire, but we're all that's left now." Steering the conversation, he eyes the Corellian freighter behind them.

"I see Leia finally took that scoundrel back, is he around? It's been ages since I've seen Han."

Rey shares a mournful look with Finn before replying. "Han didn't make it off of Starkiller."

His face falls as he digests what he's heard. "Oh, I... my condolences, he was a good friend."

Rey only nods in agreement.

"It would seem I've got some much-needed good news then, is Leia around?"

"She's dealing with the locals, getting us some food. Rations were tight for a while there. She should be back soon," Finn replies with a tinge of curiosity.

— — —

"Alright Shriv, what have you got?" Leia inquires, setting a large bottle filled with amber liquid onto the table roughly.

"Well I've made contact with... I'm sorry is that what I think it is?" he asks excitedly, eyes affixed on the bottle.

Leia nods in reply, a rueful smile crossing her face. "Corellian brandy. For all his faults, my husband knew his liquor."

"Can't argue with that," Shriv replies with a chuckle, pouring healthy portions into five separate glasses. "To Han."

Leia smiles ruefully, emptying her glass in record time. Shriv does the same, while Zay opts for a more respectable pace. Finn hesitates for a moment before downing it as fast as possible, suppressing a gag as he does so. Rey only stares at hers with nervous curiosity.

"Something wrong?" Shriv asks, pouring himself another glass.

"It's... I've never had... alcohol before," Rey admits quietly, embarrassed by the declaration of inexperience.

"You picked a good time to start then. It Doesn't get much better than this."

"You've never had alcohol?" Finn questions, surprised.

"It wasn't exactly high on my list of priorities on Jakku, and if I had to guess I'd say you hadn't either until 30 seconds ago," She snipes back defensively.

This emits a hearty chuckle from Leia, who gently pushes the glass closer to Rey. "No judgement here, just give it a try."

Slowly, she brings the glass to her lips, acutely aware of the 4 sets of eyes staring intently. The whiskey had a distinct wooden flavor, and stung the back of her throat as it went down. Finishing the glass, she barely managed to fight back a fit of coughing, undoubtedly a wordless protest from her body.

"And?" The Duros asks, grinning.

"It's good," she replies amidst a fit of coughs.

"Shriv? You had some 'good news' for me," the general interrupts, not unkindly.

"Right, you distracted me with your expensive liquor," he grumbles, pouring yet another glass. "We made contact with as many resistance members we could find not with the fleet, they should be on their way here now. Oh, and some old friends have agreed to help."

"Old friends?" Leia asks, confused.

"Does the name Syndulla ring any bells?"

" _Hera_ agreed to help us? How'd you manage that?"

"Well believe it or not she doesn't find the prospect of being invaded for a third time in forty years very appealing," he states matter of factly, causing the general to narrow her eyes disdainfully. "She uh, wants to meet with you in person," he adds, avoiding her gaze.

"We'll set course for Ryloth in the morning," She concludes, leaving her seat at the table. "I'd rather not make Hera wait, she has a bit of a temper."

"One last thing," Shriv says with a smile, the sound of several ships exiting hyper space overhead interrupting him. "I may have rounded up a few cruisers from what's left of the new republic fleet."

Leia was unable to formulate any response beyond a stare, mouth agape.

"What? I wasn't about to cram into here with all of you"


End file.
